The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-09-08
U
Two Points Found il, "The Chronicles
Recent Article Discussed. e

Two Points Found in aThe Chronicles"
Recent Article Discussed.
[Cor. Charlotte Chroniclel
You do well to discuss the merits
of industrial education, but you are
mistaken in two matters. First-New
York City is no laggardin this great
movement. She has mo successful
Training Schools likebhose Of Boston,
Chicago, st. Louis and Philadelphia,
but she has now the best equipped In
dustrial Educational Association in the
Union; and the city authorities are ar
ranged to introduce the industrial and
training features into all the public
schools of the city. This is ahead OF
any general movement in this direc-
ton. @
Second-The leading objects is not
to teach trades, art o. science, as such
for the purpose of turning out
from the schools, ~artizans, agricultural
lists, artists, trained cooks, skilled dress
makers, common or skilled machinists
of any sort. But to instruct children
and other pupils, as a part of general
education, in the elementary or foun-
dalton principles. of all art, science,
mechanics and other practical knowl-
edge: and this, not by teaching theo-
ries-but by learning "to do things"
It is all in the principal Of the Kind
ergarten-but extended to agriculture,
domestic life, plain mechanics, the use
Of tools, &C., and simply to the end
that the boy or girl, when SO taught,
in his or her separate school, a the
more readily take up, if desired in
after life; any sort of business, or one
specially suited to the particular line,
or talent distinctively manifested in
their early training. True, the mod
ern Agricultural and Mechanical Col
leges are intended primarily, to make
farmers and mechanics-but they do
not teach them art as such-as a school
of theology, medicine Or law, turns
out it's preachers, doctors and lawyers.
They only give them sound, first prin-
ciples in all departments of practical
life; but they do this, not by theory,
as in the old high school or college,
but by showing the pupil how to do
the things intended, and putting them
to doing them. And this again based
on the aphorism of Bacon, that "edu-
cation is the cultivation of a just and
legitimate familiarity betwixt the mind
and things" and the more simple
axiom of Cominius "Let things that
have to be done, be learned by doing
them" and all summed UP in the
grand conception of Carlyle, that
"tools constitute the great civilizing
agency of the world" oman without
tools is nothing; with tools, he is ALL"
The idea is very old, and lay at the
bottom of all of the highest of past
civilizations. But in time the so-called
University system, undertook to teach
all knowledge, and finally drifted into
nothing but abstraction, and caused
Bacon again to say that the Universe
ties, in fact, taught "nothing but to
believe" Frebed fairly started the
new movement by his kindergarten;
and now the whole industrial world
marches with giant strides towards the
"Manual Training School," and the
agricultural and Mechanical Col.
lege." 1t is not intended that these
shall %superceed the ACADEMY" the
High School," OF the university"
The work of art and science can be
better and more satisfactorily taught
in the shop and on the model farm,
separate and distinct from all other
teaching and training, SO too, avoiding
all classes prejudices and difficulties.
But the advocates of the old school
must learn to recognize the just claims
of the new methods. A feeling is
abroad that the classic course has a
tendency to slight and degrade work,
and it certainly has had some effect in
making labor a drudgery. It has not
taught or trained either men or women
chow to do things" how to accom-
plish the work of life, how to make
success easy and pleasant. It has
rather led the masses to believe that
success is won more by wit and sharp
ways than by honest toll and healthful
work, aided and made both agreeable
and profitable by a skilled hand, a
trained eye and delicate touch. And,
thus it comes, that no class amongst
us is early or well trained in the work
or business Of life, and when the day
of trial comes ID real earnest, SO many
1 Eel onA ~vn ,,~ - l-. -